<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Anything You Want (Especially if it's Coffee) by RueShe</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948975">Anything You Want (Especially if it's Coffee)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RueShe/pseuds/RueShe'>RueShe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Comfort, F/F, Feel-good, Getting Together, Meet-Cute, Sleepovers, Tea, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:21:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,972</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948975</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RueShe/pseuds/RueShe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Catra works at her university library's coffee shop. Adora spends all her time in the coffee shop. They're in loooooove.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>219</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Catradora to reread</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anything You Want (Especially if it's Coffee)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Catra scrolled through her phone, lounging on the counter that was sprinkled with coffee grounds and droplets of milk. It was late, well past dark, and she had the last shift. She worked at the little coffee shop in the campus library, responsible for supplying hundreds of students with their daily dose of caffeine. The heavy library doors opened and let in a gust of cold wind that tickled Catra’s nose and made her look up. Right on time, she smirked. Adora stood by the door, pushing windblown hair out of her face and pulling her scarf from around her neck. Her cheeks were rosy and her blue eyes were bright, despite the late hour, as she waved to the person behind the checkout counter.</p><p>Realizing she was staring, Catra shook her head slightly and hopped off the counter, grabbing a mug from the shelf and filling it with the darkest coffee they had. The smell of it woke her up a little.</p><p>“Hi,” came a soft voice behind her. Turning around, Catra saw Adora leaning up against the counter, sounding more hesitant than she should considering this happened every night.<br/>
            “Hey, Adora,” Catra smirked, sliding the full mug across the dirty counter and into Adora’s hands.</p><p>“Thanks. Are you going to let me pay for it this time?” She was so cute.</p><p>“Definitely not. I have free drink coupons, remember?”</p><p>Adora tucked an errant piece of hair behind her ear. It promptly fell back out, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Okay then,” she said, “Thanks.”</p><p>“Don’t get too excited, I just want to screw the university out of coffee money one drink at a time.” Catra got one free drink per shift, which she saved every day to use on Adora. It wasn’t because Catra liked her or anything, shut up, Catra just didn’t like coffee. That much.</p><p>Turning to hide her blush, Catra started wiping the dirty counter. When she looked up again, Adora was walking away and the tip jar had an extra five-dollar bill in it. Grabbing it and waving it in the air, Catra called, “Hey, you know this is more than your actual coffee would cost, right?!”</p><p><br/>
</p><p>Catra spent the next few hours sneaking looks at where Adora was curled in a huge armchair with a textbook open on the table beside her and her computer in her lap, nodding along to the music playing through her headphones. Occasionally Adora would catch her looking and smile a little when they made eye contact. Catra always looked away first. Adora slipped out while Catra wasn’t paying attention, but when she went to wipe the table, she found a napkin with “Thanks for the coffee :)” written on it. And if maybe she tucked it into her back pocket to keep forever, nobody was there to see.</p><p>-----</p><p>A couple weeks later, things were ramping up for midterms, and the shop was busier than normal. Students were crammed into every corner of the library and the steady influx of coffee orders were making it hard for Catra to maintain her usual aloofness. Her feet already hurt and her hair was puffier than normal, betraying her anxiety. She was so focused on making coffee that she missed Adora coming in and waiting at the counter. Scorpia didn’t, however.</p><p>“Psst, Catra!” Scorpia’s whisper was way louder than she thought it was.</p><p>“What,” Catra replied without turning around.</p><p>“You know who is here,” Scorpia yelled. Okay, she didn’t really yell. But it was still loud.</p><p>Turning to look, she saw Adora standing in front of the counter looking notably worse than usual. Her shoulders were slumped, her gaze was unfocused, and she had huge gray bags under her eyes. Even her hair bump was flatter than normal.</p><p>“Scorpia, keep it down,” she hissed at her coworker. Scorpia held her claws up in a sheepish expression.</p><p>“Sorry, sorry, I’ll just—yeah—I’ll be over here” she replied, going to fiddle with the plastic lids.</p><p>Catra smoothed her hair back and went to stand across the counter from Adora. Adora didn’t look up. Catra cleared her throat. Adora didn’t move. Well, this wouldn’t do.</p><p>“Adora!” Catra waved in front of her eyes, and Adora startled, looking sheepish.</p><p>“Hi Catra,” she responded, brightening a little.</p><p>“What’s up with you? You look horrible,” Catra tilted her head, flicking an ear.</p><p>“Thanks,” Adora frowned, and her irritated eyebrow quirk made her look a little more like herself, “That totally helps.”</p><p>Catra snickered. “Well it’s true. Are you sleeping at all? Or eating?” she shifted to grab a mug and hesitated before pouring a little lavender syrup into the bottom of it before filling it with black coffee. Adora didn’t notice.</p><p>“Uhhh yes?” Adora mumbled, as if speaking quietly would make her sound more believable despite how obvious it was that she was lying. Adora sighed and admitted, “It’s just my English midterm paper. I need to keep a certain GPA to keep my scholarships for next year and it’s my hardest subject. So I’ve been working on it a lot, and maybe not taking very good care of myself. Not to mention the other subjects I’ve been neglecting.” Adora looked up and blushed, saying “Oops, I don’t mean to complain. I’m sure you hear students complain all the time.”</p><p>“Dude no, I asked,” Catra responded, pouring a little milk into the lavender coffee. “It sucks you’re so overwhelmed.”</p><p>Adora blew some hair out of her face, scrunching her eyebrows and making an exaggerated pouty face. It shouldn’t have been as cute as it was. “Yeah,” she sighed, “it does suck. But I’ll be fine!” Her enthusiasm didn’t even sound faked; “I generally pull through. Just gotta stay positive.”</p><p>Catra looked at her dubiously. Nobody should have that much natural energy. Sliding the coffee over, she grabbed an m&amp;m cookie from the box and held it out to Adora, saying “Figured you could use a little more than black coffee this time.”</p><p>Adora looked down in surprise at the light coffee and offered cookie. Her face crumpled into a smile but it looked fragile, and Catra noticed her eyes looked a little wetter than a second ago. Their fingers brushed as Adora took the cookie. Catra’s fingertips tingled where they’d touched.</p><p>Adora gave a suspicious sniff and said “Thanks” rather softly, stuffing a five-dollar bill into the tip jar and grabbing the coffee with her free hand, “What is this, anyway?” she raised the coffee to her face to inspect it.</p><p>“Don’t worry, it’s still mostly black. Just a little lavender and cream for, you know, comfort or whatever” she broke eye contact, crossing her arms to hide her sudden bashfulness.</p><p>Adora smirked, “Does anyone else know you’re secretly really sweet?”</p><p>“Shut up and take your coffee! I’m not sweet!”</p><p>Adora rolled her eyes, and the gesture made Catra’s breath catch. Snarky Adora was a menace. “Sure, Catra. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. It can be our secret.” Catra sputtered and tried to think of a comeback, but Adora was already walking away.</p><p>-----</p><p>A week later, and Catra was so tired she considered curling up on the counter to nap. Midterms were mostly over, there were only a few people in the shop, and she’d had her last midterm test that morning. Adora had been in every night, looking worse and worse, seemingly subsisting on the snacks and coffee Catra gave her. Adora was starting to concern her. Being tired was one thing, but Adora looked near death; she walked like she was in a haze, her eyes were dim, and Catra could tell she had lost a little weight. She was clearly pushing herself too hard. It made Catra want to shake her shoulders and snarl at her and boss her around and then maybe kiss the tip of her nose and stare into her eyes and hold her and —okay. That’s enough of that. Get ahold of yourself, Catra.</p><p>It was midnight, and Catra was wiping the counters and shutting everything down for the day. Adora was in her usual chair, body bent in unnatural angles, having fallen asleep at some point. Catra put it off as long as she could, but finally, she knelt by the armchair that Adora was inhabiting. Uncomfortably, from the looks of it. Her head was tucked into her chest, her laptop precariously balanced on her legs, and she was snoring softly.</p><p>Catra had considered waking her up earlier but decided against it. It was obvious she needed the sleep. She’d gently lifted Adora’s askew reading glasses from her face and put them on the table, then paused the YouTube lecture still playing on the laptop. It made her heart ache.</p><p>Now, though, Catra felt bad knowing she’d have to wake her up. “Hey, Adora,” she tried, keeping her voice low. No answer. She reached out, feeling off-balance, and tapped her arm. Adora shifted, humming a little, before opening her eyes to the sight of Catra’s face a foot away from her own.</p><p>“Wha?” her voice was croaky. “What?” she tried again, sounding a little more awake.</p><p>“You fell asleep,” Catra said. “But we’re closing, so we both gotta leave.”</p><p>“Oh god,” Adora replied, “I’m so sorry.” She shifted and sat up, catching her falling laptop with one hand and using the other to push her hair back from where it was partially covering her face.</p><p>“No worries. Watching you drool on yourself was totally worth it.” Adora felt her mouth self-consciously, but it was dry. She aimed a glare at Catra, who was giggling softly at her. She offered a hand to Adora to pull her up from the chair, leaving them standing a little too close to each other. Catra could feel Adora’s heat through her own thin white t-shirt, and she realized that Adora was slightly taller than she was. Catra kind of liked it.</p><p>Adora’s eyes were gentle when they made eye contact, her sleepy cozy energy making her slow. Catra couldn’t move even if she wanted to. Adora broke away first, leaning down to pack up her stuff and sling her bag over her shoulder. “Do you need a ride?” Catra blurted out, before she could really think it through.</p><p>Glancing up, Adora took a second to think. “That would be awesome, actually, if you’re offering,” she said.</p><p>“I asked, didn’t I?” Catra cocked a hip and examined her nails, trying to appear nonchalant. She probably failed.</p><p><br/>
</p><p>The walk to the parking garage was short but cold. The late September air was sharp with the smell of colder weather on the horizon and the inside of the car was even colder than the air outside. Adora’s breath made white puffs in the air when she explained where she lived. Catra started the car and they rode in silence for a few minutes. They were both too tired to make it awkward. “Are you done with midterms?” Adora asked, startling Catra. She’d been spacing out while they waited at a red light.</p><p>“Yeah,” she replied, “finished today.”</p><p>“Cool, me too. How’d they go?”</p><p> “Fine, I think. Wait, what were you doing in the coffee shop if you’re done?”</p><p>“I wanted to get ahead on my physics homework. And uh,” Adora looked away, “I just like it there.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Catra’s traitorous heart leapt. “Why?”</p><p>“N-No reason! It’s convenient.” Adora wouldn’t make eye contact. “And I’m addicted to coffee, it’s not my fault. You’re an enabler.”</p><p>Catra laughed. “If you say so.”</p><p>“You’re the one who always gives my coffee to me for free, wanna tell me what that’s about?” Adora quirked an eyebrow at Catra’s suddenly flustered expression.</p><p>“Oh, look at that, we’re here.” Catra pulled up outside Adora’s apartment complex. Luckily, the dark car probably hid her blush.</p><p>Catra expected Adora to get out, but instead, Adora scrunched her nose for a second, conflicted, then turned back to Catra and said, “Do you want to come up?” Catra’s heart stuttered.</p><p>“It’s kind of late?”</p><p>“I know.” Adora bit her lip, looking nervous.</p><p>Catra knew she had class the next day at 9, but school was far below “follow the love of my life up to her apartment” on her list of priorities. “Sure,” she replied. How could she not?</p><p><br/>
</p><p>Adora’s apartment was dark and Catra didn’t have a lot of time to investigate before she was ushered past one door and into the second room in the hallway. Adora closed the door behind them and turned on a lamp, illuminating the room with a warm soft light. The room was clean, but not weirdly so, and Adora had a soft-looking red comforter on her bed.</p><p>Catra found herself feeling suddenly awkward, not that she’d let it show. What was the protocol here? She didn’t want to <em>assume</em> anything, after all. But it was late and there are only a few reasons people invite other people to their rooms after midnight.</p><p>“Do you want tea?” Adora asked. Good, let Adora take the reins.</p><p>“Sure,” Catra replied, if only to have something to do with her hands. What do hands normally do? Sit in pockets? Fiddle with stuff? Oh god why was she so nervous?</p><p>“Sit wherever, I’ll be right back.” The bed was the only furniture in the room, so “sit wherever” didn’t leave a lot of options. Catra made herself comfortable on Adora’s bed, wiggling around until she was sprawling against the pillows.</p><p>Adora was back fast, with two steaming mugs of tea. Perfect for the chill they’d both gotten on their way from campus. Catra hadn’t left a lot of room for Adora on the bed, so when she sat down, they found themselves almost cuddling. Catra wanted nothing more than to scooch herself into Adora’s lap or under her arm, but she refrained and focused on not spilling her tea instead.</p><p>“So, what’s your deal anyway?” Catra asked.</p><p>“What?” Adora looked confused. Okay, fair, that was pretty vague.</p><p>“Why do you spend so much time in the library? I know the free coffee helps, but nobody spends more time there than they have to.”</p><p>“It’s the best place to study, I guess.”</p><p>“Right, but why do you study so much? It’s obvious you’re working too hard. Why do you push yourself so far?”</p><p>“Oh, uh. My mom is really strict. She took me in when I was a baby, and I guess I don’t want to make her regret it. She’s always made it clear that she expects me to work hard and go places. I don’t want to let her down. So, I make sure to get good grades and scholarships and stuff.” Adora was fiddling with the string on her tea bag, avoiding eye contact.</p><p>“Fuck that.”</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>“I said, Fuck That.” Catra turned to look up at Adora, whose eyes were wide. “You shouldn’t spend your life feeling in debt to your mom. It was her choice to take you in, nobody forced her to. If you want to get good grades for yourself, go for it. But if it’s out of some misguided attempt to make sure you stay in your mom’s good favor, then fuck that. And if she’d love you less for underperforming, she’s a shitty mom.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Adora burst out laughing. “You probably shouldn’t say stuff like that, Catra.”</p><p>“Well, it’s true!”</p><p>“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean you should say it!”</p><p>“Whatever, princess, you knew what I was like before you invited me up here.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Adora sighed, bending her head to rest on Catra’s, “I did.”</p><p>Catra blew a piece of hair out of her face and leaned over to set her empty tea mug on the floor. Rather than going back to how she’d been sitting, she lifted Adora’s arm up and slid under it, nuzzling into her neck a little. Adora reflexively tightened her arm, pulling Catra a little closer to her body. They stayed like that for a little while, Adora’s head resting on Catra’s, and Catra felt her heart swell with every breath. She felt the tension unwind from her shoulders and her eyes drooped. It had been a really long week.</p><p>A soft snore tickled her hair and she twitched her ear. A second, louder snore reverberated through her chest, where she was pressed tight to Adora.</p><p>“Hey,” she whispered, “Adora.” Nothing. She fidgeted under Adora’s arm and pulled back the covers. Sitting up and turning to face her, she caressed Adora’s cheek and tucked some of her hair behind her hair. “Adora, wake up for a second.”</p><p>The snoring stopped and Adora opened her eyes slowly for the second time that night. Catra tugged on the covers. Adora got the message and got up to pull her sweatshirt over her head and unbutton her pants, looking half asleep. She crawled back into bed wearing a sports bra and underwear.</p><p>“Do you want me to stay?” Catra asked, hesitant. She didn’t want to push it.</p><p>“Yeah,” Adora replied around a yawn, looking like the cutest dork in the world, “If that’s okay? We can cuddle. I’ll make you breakfast.” She was settling underneath the covers, sounding mostly asleep again. She patted the bed softly between them.</p><p>Catra slid off the bed and pulled her bra off under her t-shirt. The leggings came off too, then she was sliding into Adora’s soft sheets and scooting back until her spine met Adora’s chest, rising and falling slowly as she fell back asleep. Before sleep took her completely, though, Adora’s arm settled over her waist and pulled them a little more snugly together. Catra’s throat itched with the desire to say something like, “So does this mean we’re girlfriends?” but she figured it could wait until morning. Everything, she thought as her breaths slowed to match Adora’s, could wait until tomorrow.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>&lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>